How I became a male boudoir photographer


I get this question a lot: "So, what made you decide to start photographing male boudoir?" It generally takes more than a sentence to explain the real reason why I started my male boudoir photography journey. Let's start from the beginning. 


I Hated The Way I Looked

I grew up in a very conservative home. Sex was not a topic that I often talked about with my parents, and if it was brought up, it would be very surface level. In addition, any type of sexual acts, outside the realms of marriage, were deemed "lustful and sinful." If a woman wore a two-piece bathing suit or bikini, it was looked down upon because it would illicit men to have "bad thoughts." If you thought about anybody sexually, you were expected to disregard those thoughts as soon as possible. If you sexually thought about yourself, then you were deemed selfish. 


In addition to all of this, I also grew up as a very skinny person. I weighed on average 130 pounds and stood 5'11 tall. I hated the way I looked. I would look at other men who were bigger, stronger, had more muscle than me, and be jealous. All the commercials and advertisements on TV portrayed buff men, with the perfect six-pack abs and "v" shape that would lead to their lower half. When social media apps, like Instagram, started coming out, it exasperated what men should look like. If you weren't buff, then you were weak, or even "ugly." I often felt trapped in a body that I did not like, and with a perspective of sexuality that was very shallow and close-minded. I was subject to all the lies that society was telling me about what my body should look like. 

I Needed To Change

I realized that it wasn't my body that needed to change though, it was my mindset. I had told myself for years that I was not good enough, that I wasn't a good person, and that I didn't deserve certain things out of life. I was telling myself all of these lies because I was a perfectionist and living under a religion that never made me feel like I was doing enough. 


That's when I started taking self-portraits. Photography was a way for me to express myself in front of the camera without any judgment. I got creative and came up with different concepts and ideas. In some photos I was fully clothed, others I was partially clothed, or just in my underwear. No matter what I wore or how I posed in front of the camera, I was creating a safe space to express myself. It became a type of therapy for me during a dark time in my life. 

Learning To Heal

As time went on, I realized the beauty of human sexuality and human bodies. I learned to love myself and my body for what it is, and that's why I want to help others learn the same. It doesn't matter what size you are, if you're skinny or buff, I want to break the toxic masculine walls down and create a safe space for anyone who wants to embrace their body and sexuality. Men have been put into a lot of boxes over the years with the pressures of society, religion, and family culture. Male boudoir lets men step out of those boxes and create something for themselves. A safe space where they can express themselves, however they want to express themselves. I saw the power of photography and what that helped me accomplish. I was able to see myself in a new light, and that's what I want to give to other men: that opportunity to see themselves in a new light, and to be empowered by it. So, what are you waiting for? It's time to take initiative and sign up for a male boudoir session. Schedule a call with me today and let's get started.